Types of Macros
APPLICATION MACROS vigneshwaran Some computer based applications enable generation of macros. These macros are created using an application’s inherent features. By understanding the repetitive tasks done using a given application, you can generate custom macros in the application to speedily execute your tasks in the application. Since these macros are dedicated to their developed application, they are application specific and rely on their superior integration with the application and on scripting language. For recurring tasks in a particular application, application macros can be used to make your application more productive and conducive to your needs. Some applications support sophisticated macros that even allow you to use variables and flow control structures such as loops. By taking efforts to understand the macro capabilities of an extensively used application, you can create reliable macros that enable you to use the application to its maximum potential yet doing away with the routine associated with it. However, it is not possible to use application specific macros to span different applications to enable multitasking across diverse applications at a given particular time. Using advanced macro recording programs or macro automation software solves the need to understand application specific macros and makes multi tasking across different applications much easier despite a lack of programming knowledge. KEYBOARD MACROS/MOUSE MACROS Keyboard and mouse click instructions can be stored as macro modules to help eliminate repetitive actions done using the keyboard and the mouse. Such chain of key strokes or sequential mouse actions can be converted into a single key or a mouse macro. Sequential keyboard-mouse combination actions can also be converted into convenient macro programs. These macros enable tasks on the computer to be performed quickly instead of the more time-consuming, sequences and actions. In this way, frequently-used or repetitive sequences of keystrokes and mouse movements can be automated. Due to convenient mouse-driven user interface and the availability of keyboard macros and mouse macros in applications like word processors and spreadsheets, it is possible to create application-sensitive keyboard macros. Custom keyboard and mouse macros that are not application specific can also be recorded to be played back later using macro recorders. WINDOWS MACROS Macros that enable you to quickly run simple and complex tasks across Windows are called Windows Macros. Back in the days of Windows 3.1, the OS had a utility called the Recorder that recorded mouse clicks and keystrokes for repetitive tasks that made computing easy. But in the era of Windows 95 and above, this handy and simple tool was found redundant and now you find a macro recorder available only in Microsoft’s Excel spreadsheet and Word. However since they are application specific, these macros records repetitive tasks performed only in Excel and Word independently. This makes such macros limited in their scope and offers no scalability. To realize this need for creating macros to work across windows, there are many macro automation and macro recording tools available in the market now. These tools are similar to the Excel macro recorder and are commonly known as macro recorders and also as Windows automation software. Windows automation software can automate anything that generally requires multiple steps and cannot be done by a simple one line command. A wide range of tasks done using Windows can be automated using Windows automation programs. These tasks can range from simple actions like changing the screen resolution, themes on the desktop and switching between different folder options while viewing Windows Explorer to complex tasks such as importing and exporting data from a spreadsheet, copying data into a database, automating report generation to testing applications and automating business processes. A few advanced macro recorders known as internet macro recorders or web macro recorders have web recorders to automate web-based tasks such as web data extraction and screen scrapping. The features along with the user-friendly and easy to use attributes of different Windows macro recorders available in the market vary. Some Windows macro recorders can perform complex tasks while some would only execute the routine system administrative tasks. By understanding the repetitive tasks performed by you on your computer, you could choose a suitable macro recorder or a macro software program to create macros. This will enable you to save valuable time as well as work smarter. External Links Choosing the right Macro Software. http://www.tethyssolutions.com/macro-program.htm